When was the last time you drove by a beautiful building and marveled, not at the architecture, but at the foundation?

I remember years ago when Focus on the Family added a new building to our campus right outside my office window.

I got to watch the construction process unfold from the first shovelful of dirt until the final brick was mortared into place nearly a year later. It was fascinating to see crane operators swing steel beams through the air and skilled craftsmen, day by day, transform the structure’s “bare bones” into a beautiful addition to our ministry complex.

The viral tale reminded me of another story some might call happenstance… but I know was God’s providence. I first shared this entry in 2013… and I think it’s worth reposting today. Hope you enjoy… -J.D.

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She first saw the elderly gentleman at a cemetery on Thanksgiving morning.

The unprecedented presidential election of 2016 has ended and we have witnessed a watershed moment in American political history. The most optimistic of assessments were exceeded for the Republican Party, and as a result America will have a GOP-dominated White House, House and Senate, and the majority of state houses and governorships as well.

We congratulate and offer our heartfelt prayers for President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence and all the winners. We pray for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and all those who were defeated.

Many of my conservative friends don’t see eye-to-eye on this year’s election, and I suspect I’m not alone.

Scroll through social media, go to churches across the country – goodness, go to a family dinner table! – and you might see good, sincere Christians with differing opinions on who to elect for president and how to think through the voting process.

For some evangelicals, it might be the first time they’ve faced this level of disagreement with their family or church community over a presidential election.

It’s a problem so big that some experts are calling it a public health concern. It impacts both a person’s emotional and physical wellbeing.

And while it can affect most anyone, this condition especially targets the elderly.

The problem I’m talking about?

Loneliness.

Complicating the issue of loneliness is that there’s a stigma around it. Some people might think loneliness is due to a “social weakness, or an inability to stand on one’s own,” according to a recent New York Times article on the topic.

For 40 years the United Methodist Church has supported the Supreme Court’s infamous Roe v. Wade decision – that is, until last week.

Delegates of the country’s third-largest religious body voted 445 to 310 to repeal the official resolution supporting the case establishing a constitutional “right” to abortion during its General Conference. They also voted to sever its affiliation with the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), an interfaith organization co-founded by the United Methodist Church.

Should Christians befriend members of the homosexual or transgendered community?

Should Christians engage in the political process?

If so, what hope should we place in the government for resolution to society’s problems?

Should Christians attend a friend’s same-sex wedding? What if the ceremony is for a parent’s son or daughter?

I frequently get questions like these when I travel and have an opportunity to meet you, friends of Focus on the Family. I appreciate hearing your perspective because it helps me keep a finger on the pulse of the family and the Christian community.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, we’re excited here at Focus on the Family because we’re working with congregations worldwide to exalt marriage this Sunday in an event we’re calling the Honoring Marriage Event.

It’s a time for churches to talk about God’s design for marriage – something we’re doing with special emphasis throughout the month of February here at Focus.

In fact, we think marriage is so important to the health and stability of the culture that we have an entire division of our ministry dedicated to helping husbands and wives strengthen their relationships.

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Daly Focus

Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.